Grant Williams became a free agent, and instead of signing with the Celtics, the forward is now a member of the Dallas Mavericks. Williams signed a four-year, $54 million deal with Dallas yesterday. The Mavericks have now acquired good role players and have a three and D guy to help provide spacing.
Grant Williams is a Maverick
What Does He Bring to Dallas?
Shooting
Williams is an elite shooter from three-point range. In the Regular Season, Grant shot 39.5% from three-point range, and in the postseason, he shot 45%. Dallas was eighth in three-point percentage this past season at 37.1%, so Williams adds more to this area for Dallas. More importantly, Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving will need shooters to surround them, and Williams is one of the best in the game.
Dallas also needs a reliable shooter in the clutch, and based on his postseason production, Williams will deserve trust as a player that will make threes in big spots. Therefore, Williams is an excellent get for a Dallas team that looks to improve their spacing on offense.
Defense
However, the most important part Williams brings to Dallas is defense. The Mavericks’ defense was not good when they traded for Kyrie Irving. Dallas was 25th in Defensive Efficiency last season, so they need a good defense. Luka and Kyrie are improved defensively but aren’t considered elite defenders. Williams was 55th in Defensive Plus/Minus and 57th in Defensive Win shares out of 539 players. Furthermore, he showed glimpses of his elite defense by guarding multiple positions in Boston.
Dallas needs defense to compete in the Western Conference, and Williams is a great piece to make that happen.
Reliability
Williams is a reliable player in the NBA. The forward played 77 games in 2022 in Boston, so he is dependable to be there for the Mavericks this upcoming season. In 2022-2023, he played 79 games, so he has improved his reliability each season. Moreover, Luka and Kyrie have had issues with being healthy. Therefore, the Mavericks need reliable and experienced players to be there on a nightly basis.
The Mavericks get a reliable player, and he will produce when his number gets called. Dallas can trust Grant’s health this season.
Last Word on Grant Williams to the Mavericks
Grant Williams is a fantastic acquisition for the Mavericks. He has Finals experience, great defensive instincts, and is a good shooter. Dallas made strides this off-season and now possesses role players with excellent skillsets to complement Luka and Kyrie this season. Williams is one of these players and will see a larger role with Dallas this season. This move is a great job by Dallas.
